Growth Response of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Varieties in Containerized System for Urban Horticulture
V. Swetha *
Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
S. Simi
Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
P.R. Manju
Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
R.V. Manju
Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
Suma Divakar
Department of Community Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Guava (Psidium guajava L.), prized for its nutritional and economic value, thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, making it a suitable candidate for urban container farming. This study, conducted at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, evaluated the growth response of five guava varieties under 80-liter air-pot cultivation. Among the varieties, Arka Mridula excelled in vegetative parameters, including plant height (72.33 cm) and biochemical traits like total chlorophyll (0.98 mg/100g) and reducing sugars (1.84%). Arka Rashmi showed the best reproductive performance, with early flowering (101 days after pruning), maximum flowers (12.33), and optimal canopy spread. These findings highlight the potential of Arka Rashmi for container cultivation, offering a sustainable solution for urban horticulture and food security challenges.
Keywords: Guava, Psidium guajava, varietal evaluation, container growing, urban horticulture